Started planning the trip to Sturgis 12 months ago. New Hammock seat, rain gear, luggage ect. 5 weeks of vacation time to wander the Midwest. This weekend I managed to blow 2 discs in my neck. Trip in the crapper. If you've never had herniated discs in your neck, pain takes on a whole new meaning. Cervical nerves are constantly pinched. The orthopedic surgeon has told me that there are only 2 options. Epidural injection and surgery. I can't ride the bike around the block, let alone 5000 miles. I would like to know if any of you out there have had a similar problem, and how long did it take before you could ride again? Thanks.

DJK

 

blew disc in lower back buy the time i had surgery and recovery 4 months 4-6 weeks recovery time was riding 4 weeks after surgury did mine in the winter so i was riding in the middle of april

 

Boy I'm sorry to hear that. What a bummer... Hope you can make it next year for sure.

 

Injections are for the most part a waste of time. Temporary at best but most insurance companies require them prior to surgery. Has two discs fused some years ago and was a walk in the part except for having to wear a hard shell collar for three months. Wouldnt know they were fused except for the scar....and yes, they go thru the front of your neck.

 

Had the surgery and had to lay on my back for 1 month. Later after about # months began short rides. Just do exactly what the Doc says. 1 year later I still would get tired and sore. Began riding steady after that year. All I ever heard was the horror stories then after I had it I began hearing the good. The good outnumber the bad. Listen to Doc and dont push it. Doc didnt like me riding but I explained that its just like riding in a car. And if I were to drop it I promised to get someone else to pick it up. He was worried that I drop the bike and try to pick it up and rough riding. Told him I have never dropped it but not saying never.

 

Man that is the worst. I'm so sorry to hear that. What timing. I have an issue with my mid/lower disc in my back. Tolerable enough to deal with for now. Need an MRI to determine what it is. I should probably get on that soon. My cousin had 3 bulging discs and was on leave from work for awhile. While on leave, he was laying down on his back and sneezed 4 times in a row. The first two were fine, yet painful, then on the 3rd and 4th sneeze, somehow they ruptured or something. Haven't heard the entire story of what exactly happened but he is now partially paralyzed from his waist down. It's the most awful thing ever, and all from a sneeze. Don't know if it's permanent yet, but I'm praying for him. Hope yours is a walk in the park compared to that.

 

That sucks i know had one fused with cadaver bone now that recovery took 3 months and a neck brace no riding that year but with 2 they should do titanium plates real quick recovery from people i know that did 2 discs don't waste your time with injections did that wasted time and money good luck

 

I had/have lower back issues: 1 herniated disc (L4-L5), 2 bulging discs (L3-L4 / L5-S1), Lumbar Spinal Stenosis, Arthritis @ the facet joints, Thickened Ligament, Sciatica, major leg nerve pain, numbness, etc... you get the idea.

I had 2 rounds of the injections & physical therapy. Total waste of time for me. However lots of people DO have success.

I had open decompression (laminectomy) surgery in March. I had to wait 6 weeks to ride again. My back strength is not the same. Hence why when the wife and I had to go from 2 bikes to 1, I wanted something lighter than the EGC's I'd had previously.

This time I went with a RCK. Granted only about 90 pounds lighter, but every little bit helps.

I'd like to report that the surgery was a complete success, but it wasn't. I honestly have had 0% improvement. As a matter of fact, the pain issues were mostly with my right leg, now it's both.

I'm honestly not trying to discourage you, just being truthful. My surgeon told me before hand that the procedure had a 70% - 80% success rate. Unfortunately, I wasn't in that group.

I hope you have better luck!

 

I'm actually all set up for a single level fusion for October. While taking a non-narcotic pain killer 'Tramadol' I found that the pain went from 7-10 to 1-2 strickly by accident? I'm going to ride out the med's till they don't work for me then go back to plan A. Maybe with a little bit of luck, the med's will hold up for awhile and something better than fusion will be discovered and I can shelve the procedure for something else...If you havnt tried Tramadol yet ask your doctor to put you on it for awhile, for me it cut the pain down without being stoned! I've read tho that many don't have the same success I have with the med but hell give it a try whatta ya got to lose?

 

Thank you for your replies. I hope, hdelectra, that you find relief somewhere down the road. I have been told that epidural injections may or may not work, and that bone fusion surgery is not 100% either. Not many options after that. I did go to a Chiropractor when I first noticed the discomfort, but that did not help. longrideshields-1, I would highly recommend getting that MRI as soon as possible. I waited for 2 months, hoping that the pain would slowly subside, before finally getting an MRI. It wasn't until the discs failed completely this weekend, that I saw the light. I will also look into the non-narcotic "Tramadol." Many thanks for sharing your stories with me.

DJK